Keeper for packing-nuts



W. V. ROBBlNS. KEEPER FOR PACKING NUTS. A?PLICATION FILED APR. 2. 1920.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921 F I E 1 2 SHEETSSHEET I-' W. V. ROBBINS.

KEEPER FOR PACKING NUTS, APPLICATION m n APR. 3. 1920.

L LULJ WILLIAM V. ROBBINS, OF

MAGNA, UTAH, ASSIGN'OR 0F ONE-HALF TO JOHN W. BREWER, 0F MAGNA, UTAH.

KEEPER FOR PACKING-NUTS.

Application filed April 3, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM V. ROBBINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Magna, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have made a new and useful Invention in Keepers for Packing- Nut-s, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to keepers or looks for packing nuts such as are used upon air compressors and pumps. Due to vibration, these nuts are liable in service to unscrew causing excessive leakage and, in case the nut entirely unscrews, the threads are frequently so injured that the nut cannot be replaced upon the road, and the pump and sometimes the locomotive itself are put out of commission from this cause. Various locking devices for the nuts have been employed, but in most cases the inconvenience in applying and using has been such that the devices have been discarded, the danger of loosening and'unscrewing being chosen as the lesser evil. device is so designed as to be easily applied and when it is desired to get at the nuts for adjustment or repacking the device may be instantly thrown back and is entirely out of the way. The device is applicable to any type of pump or compressor, and in the case of a cross compound compressor, all four nuts are securely held by one relatively simple device. Certain embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one form of the device applied to the holding of the four packing nuts on a cross compound 1 compressor. Fig. 2 is a section throughthe compressor casting just above the device and showing the device in plan, the-dotted lines showing the parts when moved to inoperative position, Fig. 3 is an elevation at right angles to that of'Fig. 1 with a part of the casting between the steam and compressor cylinders broken away to disclose entirely the device. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a different form of the device;-and Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to that of Fig. 2, showing another form of the device as applied to a simple type of compressor wherein there are only two packing nuts to be held against unscrewing. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Serial No. 371,151.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference numerals 1 and 2 indicate the upper ends of the steam cylinders, and 3 and 4 the lower ends of the opposing air cylinders. The four packing nuts 5, 6, 7 and 8 serve to tighten the pack ing in the glands surrounding the piston rods 9 and 10, the nuts being provided with the usual grooves 11.

The locking device is carried by a supporting plate 12 mounted upon one of the bolts 13 which secures the cylinder head of the air cylinders in position. The plate 12 is provided with downwardly projecting studs 14 upon which are pivotally mounted the arms 15 and 16, which extend inwardly and then downwardly as indicated at 17 and 18, Fig. 1, the extreme ends 19 and 20 being turned laterally and having swiveled thereon the nut engaging plates 21 and 22. These plates have their ends turned in and are adapted to engage the grooves 11 of the nuts as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The arms 15 and 16 are held yieldingly in operative position by means of the spring 23 secured at its ends to pins or projections 21 on the under sides of the arms. When it is desired to give access to the stufiing boxes orother parts "for adjustments or replacements or repairs, the arms are swung back to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the spring 23 then serving to hold the arms in this position of non-use.

In applying the device the plate 12 is adjusted so that the nut engaging plates 21 on the bolt 13 is tightened after the plate 12 is positioned so that such plate is thereafter held securely in position. When the arms are swung to the inoperative position as indicated in the dotted lines, the parts of the keeper are entirely out of the way and are maintained in such position by the spring 23 until it is desired to bring the parts again to operative position.

It will be seen that the keeper can be very readily applied and is capable of a considerable range of adjustment and positioning to suit conditions-by reason of the pivotal mounting of the plate 12 and because of the variation of opening which can be given between the arms 15 and 16. When once adjusted the device holds all four nuts securely against unscrewing. IV hen it is desired to adjust the nuts or renew the packing the arms 15 can be instantly moved entirely out of the way and then as quickly repositioned after the necessary adjustments or replacements have been made. The device is of cheap, simple construction with no parts which are liable to require repair or replacement.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative form of device adapted to be held by a bolt 25 inserted in the place of one of the air cylinder head bolts 26 (Figs. 1, 2 and This form of device is somewhat more easily applied than that of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but is more in the way. The supporting bar or member 27 corresponds to the plate 12 of the first form of device, such bar having its free end 28 bent upward and carrying the arms 29 and 30 swiveled to such end 28 either by screw threading thereon or by other suitable means. The arms 29 and 30 are suitably bent and have swiveled to their ends the nut engaging plates 31 and 32 corresponding to the plates 21 and 22. The spring 33 is secured at its ends to the pins 34 extending upwardly from the arms. Fig. 5 shows another form of device as used upon a simple compressor having only a single pair of packing nuts 35 to be locked or held. The arms 36 and 3'7 are pivoted upon the upturned end 38 of the supporting bar 39, which in turn is carried by a bolt 40 which takes the place of one of the cylinder head bolts 44 as in the Fig.4 device. The arm 36 has a nut engaging plate 4:1 swiveled upon the end, such plate engaging the slots in the packing nuts at the ends of the steam and air cylinders. The end of the arm 37 takes against the casting i2 and the spring 43 holds the arms yieldingly in operative position. To bring the arms to in.- operative position, they are swung to the positions indicated in dotted lines, in which position they are held by the spring.

With this device it is not necessary to pay any attention to slots 11 in the packing nuts and 6. If the nut turns while the pump is in service it can only move to the next notch and the swivel plate 21 or 22 drops into a notch 11 and prevents further turning. This is a time saving feature for the mechanic which is regarded as novel and of importance.

What I claim is:

1. In combination in a keeper for pack ing nuts, a support, a pair of arms carried by the support and pivoted for movement toward and from each other, a spring connection between the arms, and a nut engaging member swiveled to the end of one of the arms.

2. In combination in a keeper for packing nuts, a support, a pair of arms carried by the supportand pivoted for movement toward and from each other, a spring connection between the arms, and a nut engaging member swiveled intermediate its ends to the end of one of said arms and adapted to engage the nuts at its opposite ends.

8. In combination in a keeper for packing nuts, a pivoted support, a pair of arms carried by the free end of the support and pivoted thereon for movement toward and from each other, a spring connection between the arms, and a nut engaging member swiveled to the end of one of the arms.

4. In combinatiton ina keeper for packing nuts, a pivoted support, a pair of-arms carried by the free end of the support and pivoted thereon for movement toward and from each other, a spring connection between the arms, and a nut engaging member swiveled intermediate its Tends to the end of one of the arms.

5. In combination in a keeper for packing nuts, a support, a pair of arms carried by the support and pivoted for movement toward and from each other, a spring connection between the arms, and a nut engaging member swiveled to the end of each of the arms.

6. In combination in a keeper for packing nuts, a support, a pair of arms carried by the support and pivoted for movement toward and from each other, a spring con nection between the arms and a nut engaging member swiveled intermediate its ends to the end of'each of the arms and adapted to engage nuts at its opposite ends.

7. In combination in a keeper for packing nuts, a pivoted support, a pair of arms car-' ried by the free end of the support and pivoted thereon for movement toward and from each other, a spring connection between the arms and a nut engaging mem ber swiveled to the end of each of the arms.

8. In combination in a keeper for packing nuts, a pivot-ed support, a pair or arms carried by the free end of the support and pivoted thereon for movement toward and from each other, a spring connection between the arms and a nut engaging member swiveled intermediate its ends to the end of each of the arms and adapted to engage nuts at its opposite ends.

9. In combination in a keeper for packing nuts, a support, a pair 0]": arms carried by the support and pivoted for movement toward and from each other, a spring connection between the arms, and a nut engaging member swiveled intermediate its ends to the end of one of said arms and adapted to engage nuts at its opposite ends, the said spring connection being adapted to hold thearms yieldingly in operative position or to hold them in inoperative position when they are swung back from operat-ive position beyond a certai-n point.

10. In combination in a keeper for packing nuts, a support, a pair of arms carrier by the support and pivoted for movement toward and from each other, a spring connection between the arms, and a nut engaging member swiveled intermediate its ends to the end of each of the arms and adapted to engage nuts at its opposite ends, the said spring connection being adpted to hold the arms yieldingly in operative position or to 10 hold them in inoperative position when they are swung back from operative position beyond a certain point.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 19th day of March, 1920.

W. V. ROBBINS.

Witnesses:

JOHN DOHERTY, A. H. ANDERSON. 

